Units
'' ability, and a static effect.]] Unit is a card type. Unit cards represent the Heroes, denizens, and creatures of Eternal, and are used to fight players and each other in combat. Units remain on the field of play until killed in combat or by effects, at which time they are placed in the player's discard zone called the void. While in play, units are primarily used to attack the opponent, but many also have other abilities. Each unit has an strength number and a health number, signifying the amount of damage it deals when attacking or blocking, and the amount of damage it can take before dying, respectively. These stats may be buffed (or debuffed) by a variety of cards and effects. Playing Units Units are generally played from the hand. Once played, units enter the play zone, taking one unit spot on the field. Each player has 12 spots in play for units and sites—playing more prompts the player to first sacrifice units (killing them immediately) to make room so that the limit isn't exceeded. Some cards and mechanics play units from zones other than the hand. Cards with can be played as if they were in the player's hand while on top of the player's deck. Cards like play units directly from the void, and plays units directly from the player's deck. Tokens Some cards create entirely new units that were never in the player's deck to begin with. These token units behave just like other unit cards. Even if tokens die or otherwise change zones, they persist for the remainder of the game. Combat Once each turn, players may use their units to attack the opponent (or their site cards). Units attack simultaneously—choosing a unit to attack with prompts the player to select other attacking units. After the full selection is confirmed the units enter combat, at which point the opponent may respond with fast spells or units, and assign their own units as blockers. Combat resolves with units assigning their strength stat as damage to opposing blocking or blocked units, or the enemy player. Surviving units heal at the end of each turn, removing any damage they sustained in combat (or from other sources). Note that units cannot attack the turn they are played unless they have . They also cannot attack or block while exhausted or stunned. Interacting with Units Units can be targeted by spells and effects from either player, and can also receive attachments. Players may attach weapons to their own units to buff their stats or give additional abilities, or play curses on enemy units to give negative effects. Spells and effects such as may be used damage units outside of combat. If the damage exceeds the unit's health it dies, but if it survives it heals at the end of the turn. Cards such as will kill a unit regardless of the damage it has taken. Altering Unit Cards Some effects permanently change a unit's stats, or give it skills or other abilities. These effects persist even as the unit changes zones. For example, a unit buffed by with retain its +5/+5 stat boost after being replayed from the void by . effects are used to nullify units' abilities. Silence doesn't kill units or change their stats, rather, it permanently removes all text in the unit's text box, along with the text boxes of its attachments. Attacking Units Directly Players may use relic weapons to attack enemy units directly. Once each turn, a player with a relic weapon attached to their avatar may attack a single enemy, separate from the units' combat phase. Relic weapons may only be used to attack opponents directly if they have no units in play. Similarly, units can also be directly attacked by enemy units with . This counts as the unit attacking and may trigger effects. For example, if is given Killer its ability will trigger when it attacks a unit. Note that this doesn't count where effects (such as ) stipulate the enemy player must be attacked. Note that if a unit is directly attacked by a relic weapon or Killer unit, if its owner responds by playing an Ambush unit (such as ), that attack is redirected to the Ambush unit instead. Unit Types Units are the biggest class of cards in Eternal. Unit cards are divided into multiple subtypes called unit types. Rather than displaying the text "Unit" in their card type boxes, units display their unit types instead. Units can belong to multiple unit types. For example, is a Rebel and a Valkyrie. :Browse unit card pages by unit type in Category:Unit Types. Generally, unit types provide a flavorful context with which to group unit cards without impacting the game. However, several cards and mechanics care about the types of units. The set The Dusk Road had a "unit types matter" theme, introducing keywords such as and , and some factions are tied to specific unit types (like Elves for the Auralian ( ) faction). Category:Card Types